Two hurt in single-vehicle crash

OCEANSIDE - Two men in their 20s were hurt this morning when
their truck went off the side of Interstate 5 and crashed into a
tree, authorities said.

Firefighters arrived at the scene of the crash, on the
northbound side of the freeway north of Mission Avenue, at 10:20
a.m. and found the driver and the passenger trapped in a midsize
pickup truck, fire Battalion Chief Pete Lawrence said.

The truck struck a large sign and then a tree that was about 15
feet from the side of the road, Lawrence said.

It took firefighters about 10 minutes to extricate the driver by
using the Jaws of Life, he said.

It took a more extensive effort to remove the passenger,
Lawrence said.

Rescuers had to use a tow truck to pull the wrecked vehicle away
from the tree, and then use the Jaws of Life, cutting shears,
hydraulic rams and electric saw to fully remove the man, who was
freed after nearly an hour.

Both victims were taken to a local trauma center for treatment
of significant injuries, Lawrence said. The driver was transported
by ambulance, while the passenger was taken by a Mercy Air
helicopter.